Green mayor says city will review parade policies after boy dies in Memorial Day accident

Mayor Yerkin said the city will review parade policies after a 13-year-old, Matthew Schultz of North Canton, fell from a trailer during the May 26 Memorial Day parade and later died at Akron Children’s Hospital.

The mayor spoke at the May 27 Green City Council meeting, offering condolences to the Schultz family and thanking Green Fire Division medics, Summit County sheriff’s deputies and city staff for their response. "He was transported to Akron Children's Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries," Mayor Yerkin said.

The mayor said the city will not begin a formal review of parade policies immediately. "This will not begin until our first responders, parks, service staff, and all other staff involved have time to mourn and work through their own grief surrounding the accident," he said. He added that counselors are available to first responders and staff and that the city posted a recorded press conference on the city’s Facebook page and resources and support links on the city website.

Council President Spate began the meeting with a moment of silence and flagged the incident for the council. Mayor Yerkin and others publicly thanked community members who assisted on scene and staff who helped reunite children involved with their families.

Council members did not take a formal action on parade policy at the May 27 meeting; the mayor described a review as planned but deferred pending staff mourning and follow-up. The mayor said the city had conducted a press conference with Sheriff Fothery and a Schultz family representative and that the recording and links were available online.

The city’s next public actions described in the meeting were limited to support and information: providing counseling resources and sharing community support links. No timeline or formal policy language was provided at the meeting.